Improvement in straw hats



J. P. BEATTY. Straw-Hat.

Patented Nov. 20, 1877.

NFETERS, PHOTD-LITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C,

3 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN P. BEATTY, OF NORWALK, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW HATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,241, dated November 20, 1877; application filed October 11, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. BEATTY, of Norwalk, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Straw Hats; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Hitherto straw hats have beenmade by plaiting or braiding together two or more single strands in such manner as to form a single layer, except where the strands cross each other. Thethickness of such hats is therefore in part the thickness of one strand, and in part that of two.

To increase this thickness, or to give greater firmness or stiffness to the whole hat or to any particular part thereof, two hats or parts of hats have been plaited, of such relative sizes that one may be fitted to the other, and both tnen united. For the same purpose hats have been made by winding straw-braid of the necessary thickness, and attaching the edges thereof together. I

My invention consists in accomplishing this purpose by braiding or plaiting together in the usual way strands formed by laying together two or more single strands of straw,

I thus forma continuously plaited or braided hat, as many times thicker and stiffer than the ordinary hat as may be required.

It is obvious that this manner of forming the strands may be used to advantage in connection withthe usual manner of plaiting with single strands, or, by varying the number of integral strands, to increase or diminish the thickness or stiffness of suchws of the hat as may be desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of the hat, showing the usual manner of plaiting. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, taken through a strand, and showing the improvement introduced at the junction of the brim and side crown of the hat. Fig. 3 is a similar section, showing the improvement introduced ata point part-way down the side crown. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged views of Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, for the purpose of showing the position of the strands when plaited. Fig. 5 may be considered as a vertical section, taken through a strand, m m, next adjacent to the strand 1 l of 4, the letters a b c d c f g h 1' indicating strands which cross m m and l I.

What I claim to be my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A continuously plaited or braided straw hat formed by plaiting or braiding together throughout the whole hat strands formed substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. A continuously plaited or braided straw hat, the brim of which is stiffened by plaiting or braiding together strands formed by laying together two or more lesser strands, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

JOHN P, BEATTY.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. HUNTER, K. NEwELL. 

